2021/22 Detective Constable Met Police Grad Scheme

Hi I was wondering if anyone has applied recently. I applied a few days ago and from what I have read it’s a long process until you get a start date.

Looking at last year's thread it seems that's definitely the case. Some who applied last year might not be given a start date until 2022. Have you registered your details to start the online assessment? I keep pushing it back. Supposedly your results from these first tests are the deciding factor of how early your start date is. Good luck!

I haven’t even made it that far, my status checker still says that they’re reviewing my application and will be in contact soon. I keep checking my emails for an update. How long did it take for you to hear back after the initial application?

Oh I'm glad I found a 2021/22 thread, I've just been reading up on 2020/21 one and it's just been full of people worrying over vetting and start dates which isn't the point I'm at yet!

I applied at start of July as soon as apps opened (I signed up to the mailing list for when they open), did my online assessment centre at the end of Aug, got an email from College of Policing that I passed earlier this week (took about 3-4 weeks) and got invitation for verbal reasoning yesterday to be completed by the end of the week.

I think my process has been pretty quick compared to those in last year's intake who waited for weeks between their first contact after sending off the application form and when getting their test dates, although I'm not sure if it's because I'm in their sought after group (female, BAME ethnicity). I'm s***ing myself atm though for my start date if I pass everything because I got 2,4,4 in my Day 1, barely passing my interview with 4% above the pass mark 😬

Also, do you guys have a recruitment officer that's in charge of your application that you can ask to be directly contacted and had them contact you at the start of your application to introduce themselves and that they can act as my point of contact instead of asking any recruitment officer over the live chat... or am I getting special treatment?

I haven’t received any updates about my assessment day and I applied at the start of September, so hopefully I’ll hear back soon. How long after you applied did you receive the invitation for the assessment centre? I also got assigned a recruitment officer, girl we’re special!

Well my timeline is as follows:
7/7 Application received
26/7 Invitation to register with College of Policing
23/8 Invitation to sit Day 1 online assessment centre (competency based interview, written exercise, briefing exercise)
29/8 Completed the OAC
24/9 Results of OAC received
27/9 Invitation to take Verbal Reasoning test (to be completed by end of week)

And a bunch of emails between large gaps just to let me know that they're on it and that it can take a while so be patient.

I hope this helps, you can calculate my gaps and apply it to your situation. They are INCREDIBLY slow and the nerves/anxiety won't help, so just be patient! You can see mine took almost two months from application to get my Day 1 assessment invite, did you at least get the email to register with College of Policing?

Edit: spelling and grammar

Well my timeline is as follows:
7/7 Application received
26/7 Invitation to register with College of Policing
23/8 Invitation to sit Day 1 online assessment centre (competency based interview, written exercise, briefing exercise)
29/8 Completed the OAC
24/9 Results of OAC received
27/9 Invitation to take Verbal Reasoning test (to be completed by end of week)

And a bunch of emails between large gaps just to let me know that they're on it and that it can take a while so be patient.

I hope this helps, you can calculate my gaps and apply it to your situation. They are INCREDIBLY slow and the nerves/anxiety won't help, so just be patient! You can see mine took almost two months from application to get my Day 1 assessment invite, did you at least get the email to register with College of Policing?

Edit: spelling and grammar

Well my timeline is as follows:
7/7 Application received
26/7 Invitation to register with College of Policing
23/8 Invitation to sit Day 1 online assessment centre (competency based interview, written exercise, briefing exercise)
29/8 Completed the OAC
24/9 Results of OAC received
27/9 Invitation to take Verbal Reasoning test (to be completed by end of week)

And a bunch of emails between large gaps just to let me know that they're on it and that it can take a while so be patient.

I hope this helps, you can calculate my gaps and apply it to your situation. They are INCREDIBLY slow and the nerves/anxiety won't help, so just be patient! You can see mine took almost two months from application to get my Day 1 assessment invite, did you at least get the email to register with College of Policing?

Edit: spelling and grammar

Hello! Your dates are almost identical to my journey so far. I feel really alone in this though- I’ve had no contact from anyone. I was even sent the guidance/instructions for assessment day 1, the day AFTER I had submitted it. I’m keeping positive but inside I’m dreading the VRT!

Hi, Well done on passing the first set of tests!

I have not been been offered a recruitment officer, I wish I had though haha.

I’ve just been invited to fill in the college of policing information, so they can forward on to me the first set of exams ‘day 1’ - written, competency and briefing. Your time frame was a great help, was the time frame a month between filling in the college of policing documents to being invited to do the online assessments?

Also the verbal reasoning test?
Is that apart of the detective day testing? As I thought the only testing after the initial ‘day 1’ was the detective day where you went up and had an assessment day in person?

Sorry for all the questions 🤣

Hi, thank you!

Yes it was about a month after registering with College of Policing that I got my assessment invitation, which you get a week to complete in your own time. You can complete the three sections separately in different days within the deadline, or in one go - but I don't know if you're allowed to sit them in the different order, eg briefing 1st, interview 2nd, written 3rd.

I thought the Detective Bolt-On would be the next stage, but no they throw you the VRT before that which I really wasn't expecting! There is no mention of it on the Met's website either, so much for their "transparency" and "integrity" part of their competencies... 😒

Thank you! I’ve been holding off signing up because I didn’t want them to throw the exams at me next week🤣.

That is so strange with the VRT I didn’t see that one coming, I guess just another thing to make the process longer, Idm that though as long as it’s like September next year I’m happy. I know the application doesn’t even close until March! So I was shocked when I got invited to do the test so soon considering the application is going to be open for quite a while longer!

Thanks again and good luck with the VRT I’m sure you’ll smash it!

Well I'm sure it varies for everyone so don't assume that just because it took them a month for me that it'll be the same for you. I think contacting recruitment might be a good idea, just ask them how long it usually takes for College of Policing to send out assessment links.

I, for one, want to start as soon as possible! I'm already a graduate doing a career change so at least my hands aren't tied until a certain date and don't have to wait until I graduate and get all my certificates etc haha 😅

Hi! Another applicant who applied as soon as it was open, is it? 😅 Well at least you've found us, and hopefully more if this thread gets more traction!

(I'm not the thread starter or a mod or anything like that btw haha)

I was sent the OAC guidance like a day or so after the links to the assessment, thankfully(?) the only time I could get some peace and quiet to sit my tests were on deadline day so I had that information before I sat my exam.

I'm dreading VRT too - did SHL's practice test and got 43% so I really need more practice before I attempt it, and I thought the Detective Bolt-On would be the hardest bit!

Hi! Another applicant who applied as soon as it was open, is it? 😅 Well at least you've found us, and hopefully more if this thread gets more traction!

(I'm not the thread starter or a mod or anything like that btw haha)

I was sent the OAC guidance like a day or so after the links to the assessment, thankfully(?) the only time I could get some peace and quiet to sit my tests were on deadline day so I had that information before I sat my exam.

I'm dreading VRT too - did SHL's practice test and got 43% so I really need more practice before I attempt it, and I thought the Detective Bolt-On would be the hardest bit

Hi, thank you!

Yes it was about a month after registering with College of Policing that I got my assessment invitation, which you get a week to complete in your own time. You can complete the three sections separately in different days within the deadline, or in one go - but I don't know if you're allowed to sit them in the different order, eg briefing 1st, interview 2nd, written 3rd.

I thought the Detective Bolt-On would be the next stage, but no they throw you the VRT before that which I really wasn't expecting! There is no mention of it on the Met's website either, so much for their "transparency" and "integrity" part of their competencies... 😒